FLUSHING — The community is mourning John Ciesielka, a local military veteran who died in a house fire Saturday.

The Flushing Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to fight the fire that claimed his life at 12:59 a.m. It received assistance from the New Athens, Bethesda, Lafferty and Holloway fire departments, as well as from the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department, Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office and Belmont County Coroner Amanda Fisher. The firefighters battled the blaze for about five hours, in bitterly cold conditions, according to a social media post by the FVFD. The flames rekindled at 7:33 a.m., prompting firefighters to return to the scene.

According to those who knew him, Ciesielka, 91, was an outgoing and affectionate man who was a fixture at veteran events, where he was frequently seen playing “Taps.”

According to information provided by the Flushing Senior Center, he was born Aug. 23, 1932, and raised on his family farm in Flushing with five siblings. He served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Alaska in the chemical corps in the 1950s.

Maxine Jurovcik, director of the Flushing Senior Center, said Ciesielka served as grand marshal of the Flushing Christmas parade in recent years and was named the Belmont County Department of Senior Services’ Super Senior of Flushing in April.

She had known him for four years, since she began working as director.

“He made a big impression on me,” she said Tuesday, becoming emotional as she spoke. “He’d always bring things he’d picked out of newspapers and magazines that he thought I should be interested in.”

At the senior center, patrons such as Kathy Ujek of Lafferty remembered Ciesielka and his efforts to help place American flags in area cemeteries. Ujek also recalled how he helped many people with small engine repair. She said he also had a passion for rescuing stray cats.

Ciesielka was heavily involved in the Boys State program in the Union Local School District. It gives young people experience in governmental procedures.

Ciesielka was vice president of the Flushing Alumni Association, Class of 1951, and the association’s Facebook post about his death soon received numerous comments.

Becki Gibson, a member of the Flushing American Legion Auxiliary, spoke about Ciesielka’s knowledge of history and veterans’ issues.

“I told my husband 30 years ago that the legion will not be the legion when something happens to John,” she said.

His devotion to his fellow veterans was a common observation among those who knew him.

Ciesielka was a founding member of the Belmont County Veterans Association and served as commander of the Belmont County Council of the American Legion. He was a member of the Flushing American Legion and a member of the honor guard that helps provide military funeral services throughout Belmont County.

Executive Director Cindy Maupin said Ciesielka would always volunteer his time.

“If we needed him to get a hold of a veteran in the Flushing area, he would be more than willing to help us. He actually brought veterans to us who needed help,” she said. “He cared a lot. He would bring them to our office for help, and I’ll never forget he helped me with an old (prisoner of war) who was having problems.”

She added Ciesielka was a valuable resource when she first took over the directorship position.

Sylas Tindall of the American Legion Riders Post 366 said Ciesielka’s presence was always a welcome one during military funerals.

“He always had a heart for the riders,” Tindall said. “You asked him to be at a funeral, rain or shine, he’d be there.”

Tindall said Ciesielka was also attentive in alerting the riders of special events relating to veterans.

“He lived a life for other people, not himself,” Tindall said. “It’s just a shame to see a kind soul like that being taken away so … unexpectedly. I’m sure the community is seriously grieving the loss of Mr. Ciesielka.

“If you had questions about any kind of history, any war history, any local war history of veterans that had passed away, you asked John Ciesielka. He would know. It’s amazing how much information that fellow knew,” he said. “He probably wasn’t even hardly 5 foot, but he had a heart bigger than the tallest mountain.”

Fellow veteran Bob Farmer of the St. Clairsville branch of the American Legion knew Ciesielka for 15 years.

“John was just a good man all around. He was very dedicated to all of our veterans. You didn’t have to ask him more than once to come somewhere to celebrate a veteran for anything. He was always at military funerals. He was just a great man,” Farmer said. “He became a part of my family. My wife and I just thought the world of him. … I’m going to miss him like any member of my family.”

He said Ciesielka worked as a liaison with the legion auxiliary and was a supporter of the American Legion Riders in Flushing.

Farmer and other area veterans attended the 97th birthday celebration of World War II veteran Wayne Hill in Bellaire on Tuesday. Farmer said he had no doubt Ciesielka would have been there if he could have, and likely was there in spirit.